French Famous Names Starting with Letter P

Was a French Cartesian philosopher and a prominent critic of Spinoza.[1]

Was a French Cartesian philosopher and a prominent critic of Spinoza.[1]

Is a French football defender who plays for Ligue 2 side Stade Laval. Talmont previously played for

Is a French football defender who plays for Ligue 2 side Stade Laval. Talmont previously played for Vannes in Ligue 2.[1]

Was a French doctor and a writer, translator, born in Courtenay. He is best known for his contributi

Was a French doctor and a writer, translator, born in Courtenay. He is best known for his contributions to Encyclopédie by Diderot and D'Alembert.

Was the Master-mason to the King of France, known for working on Amiens Cathedral. In 1475 Tarisel w

Was the Master-mason to the King of France, known for working on Amiens Cathedral. In 1475 Tarisel was summoned to inspect Noyon Cathedral, which was deteriorating in many places. Although he was not yet master mason of the city, no work of imprtance was undertaken without him. In 1477 he was in Arras, at work for the King of France. In 1500 the plan of Martin Chambiges for the restoration and decoration of Beauvais Cathedral was submitted to him.

In France known as "Magic" Tchernia and Monsieur Cinema, he is a cinema and television producer, scr

In France known as "Magic" Tchernia and Monsieur Cinema, he is a cinema and television producer, screenwriter, presenter, animator and actor. He was part of the creation of the first televised news in France in 1949 and was an early French news presenter. In 1955 he became a producer of animation (with a heavy influence from the early animation of Walt Disney). For many years he hosted a television game show of movie trivia, Monsieur Cinéma. He has also been host or presenter for various French talk, variety, quiz and music shows over the years.

Was a French basketball player who competed in the 1948 Summer Olympics.He was part of the French ba

Was a French basketball player who competed in the 1948 Summer Olympics.He was part of the French basketball team, which won the silver medal.

He is a photographer who's self reflection is expressed through his work, humanism always his emphas

He is a photographer who's self reflection is expressed through his work, humanism always his emphasis. He is also an author, a painter, a sculptor and a publisher. He lives and works in New Mexico, USA.

Was a French professional racing cyclist and double Olympic champion. Trentin began competing when h

Was a French professional racing cyclist and double Olympic champion. Trentin began competing when he was 14. He continued racing when he began training and then established his own business as a leather craftsman and became one of the world's leading cyclists on the track. At 17 he won the French junior championship. He came third in the kilometre time trial at the Tokyo Olympics of 1964. He won gold medals for the 1km and 2km tandem sprint at the Olympics in Mexico City in 1968, and a bronze medal in the Munich Olympics of 1972. At Mexico in 1968 he set a world amateur record for the kilometre, 1. 3.91.

Was a French composer. Vachon wrote around thirty string quartets, various chamber works, operas, an

Was a French composer. Vachon wrote around thirty string quartets, various chamber works, operas, and orchestral pieces. He studied the violin with Carlo Chiabrano in Paris and first performed on 24 December 1756, at the Concert Spirituel, playing one of his own compositions. He also performed as first violinist in the orchestra of the Prince of Conti.

Was a notable French architect who worked on the Hansaviertel in Berlin. Known Internationally as th

Was a notable French architect who worked on the Hansaviertel in Berlin. Known Internationally as the publisher of L'Architecture d'Aujourd'hui and General Secretary of the UIA. Vago remained honorary president of the UIA until his death.

Was a French mathematician. He was educated at the Jesuit College and the University in Caen, where

Was a French mathematician. He was educated at the Jesuit College and the University in Caen, where he received his M.A. in 1682. He took Holy Orders the following year.

Is a French snowboarder, specializing in snowboardcross. Vaultier started snowboarding at the age of

Is a French snowboarder, specializing in snowboardcross. Vaultier started snowboarding at the age of six at Serre Chevalier, one of the major French ski resorts located in the southern part of the Alps. He debuted competition in 1997. He joined the young

Is a French academic. Veltz holds a engineering degree from École Polytechnique and a PhD in social

Is a French academic. Veltz holds a engineering degree from École Polytechnique and a PhD in social sciences from École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales. After beginning his career as an urban planner, he went into academic life and consulting. He founded and headed LATTS, an interdisciplinary research group, at the crossroads of technical and sociological research. From 1981 to 1991, he was the Dean of Research at the Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées, one of the leading French Grandes écoles. From 1999 to 2004, he was the Director of this School. He also chaired ParisTech, which is a group of ten foremost engineering schools in Paris.

Was a French composer of the Renaissance, associated with the Sainte-Chapelle. Twelve of his works h

Was a French composer of the Renaissance, associated with the Sainte-Chapelle. Twelve of his works have survived, including seven motets and five chansons. There were two closely connected composers named Vermont, of whom Pierre was possibly the elder, and a Pernot Vermont (c.1495 – 1558) possibly younger, but not by much. Musicologists have not been able to establish a family relationship, although it seems likely. That Pierre was the elder of the two, even though their conjectured birthdates are similar, is inferred from his appellation (l’aîné, primus, or Vermond seniorem). All of the music assigned simply to 'Vermont' in the sources has been attributed to Pierre rather than Pernot.[1]

Was a French mathematician and instrument inventor. He was inventor and eponym of the vernier scale

Was a French mathematician and instrument inventor. He was inventor and eponym of the vernier scale used in measuring devices. At Brussels, in 1631, he published , his treatise "La construction, l'usage, et les propriétés du quadrant nouveau de mathematiques", and dedicated it to the Infanta. In it he described the ingenious device which now bears his name, the Vernier scale.

Is a former French rugby union player and coach. He played at full back and fly half. He won 34 caps

Is a former French rugby union player and coach. He played at full back and fly half. He won 34 caps for France between 1967 and 1972. He also coached the Italy national rugby union team from 1978 till 1981, and was assistant coach of France in the late 90's (alongside of Jean-Claude Skrela.

Was a French composer of choral and instrumental music. Villette's music is a product of a French mu

Was a French composer of choral and instrumental music. Villette's music is a product of a French musical heritage that includes Fauré and Debussy as well as Poulenc and Messiaen, and a French cultural legacy that includes Catholicism and the Order of Saint Benedict. Villette was not interested in the avant-garde direction taken by Boulez's circle, and instead his music drew on influences as eclectic as Gregorian Chant, medieval music, jazz (he composed an orchestral piece titled Blues), and Stravinsky. His catalogue has eighty-one opus numbers, (full list via this link) and he wrote chamber and orchestral music as well as better-known choral works.

Is the current Ambassador of France to the United States. Vimont holds a licence in law. He is a gra

Is the current Ambassador of France to the United States. Vimont holds a licence in law. He is a graduate of the Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris and the École nationale d'administration (1977). His current rank in the French civil service is a "first-class plenipotentiary minister".

Was an unconventional French oil executive who was the first to develop the use of scenario planning

Was an unconventional French oil executive who was the first to develop the use of scenario planning in the private sector, at Royal Dutch Shell’s London headquarters in the 1970s. So successful was he that the Anglo-Dutch oil giant was able to anticipate not just one Arab-induced oil shock during that decade, but two. His article Scenarios: Shooting the Rapids Harvard Business Review, 1985 is considered one of the first articles that bring the thoughts and theories of futurist Herman Kahn into business strategy.

Was a French businessman. In 1924, Pierre Wertheimer and his brother Paul became Coco Chanel's partn

Was a French businessman. In 1924, Pierre Wertheimer and his brother Paul became Coco Chanel's partners in the House of Chanel perfume business. Two years before, in 1922, the Chanel No. 5 perfume had been introduced and Ms Chanel needed the Wertheimers' extensive experience in commerce, their American business connections, and their capital to fully develop and market the product. During their partnership, Wertheimer owned 70% of the Chanel perfume company. Chanel owned 10% and Chanel's friend, Théophile Bader, owned the remaining 20%.

Is a French composer, known for his work in French documentaries. His work included the scores for T

Is a French composer, known for his work in French documentaries. His work included the scores for TV seriesRégis l'éventeur by Georges Combe and TV documentoryLe juste NON by Caroline Buffard. He is now working on English language films, directed by John Jennissen. He won two Best musical awards at Le Creusot film festival for his work on La formation en quatre actes by Olivier Xueref (1992) and L'esprit et la matiere by Arielle Mémery (2000).

Is a French actor and film director. He has appeared in 31 films and television shows between 1966 a

Is a French actor and film director. He has appeared in 31 films and television shows between 1966 and 2001. In 1962 he directed the film Give Me Ten Desperate Men, which was entered into the 12th Berlin International Film Festival.[1]

Was a French architect, painter and designer. In 1775, Trouard entrusted him with the interior decor

Was a French architect, painter and designer. In 1775, Trouard entrusted him with the interior decoration of the Hôtel d'Aumont he was building in Place de la Concorde. In 1778, at the death of Michel-Ange Challe, Louis XVI appointed him King's Designer and Architect ("Dessinateur du Cabinet du Roi"). He worked on numerous decorative schemes for official events, theatrical performances and funerals, and also directed the decoration of the Paris Opera.

Was a French composer, a contemporary of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and a member of the French Académ

Was a French composer, a contemporary of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and a member of the French Académie des Beaux-Arts (1813). He is considered alongside André Ernest Modeste Grétry and François-André Danican Philidor to have been the founder of a new musical genre, the opéra comique, laying a path for other French composers such as François-Adrien Boïeldieu, Daniel-François-Esprit Auber, Charles Gounod, Georges Bizet, and Jules Massenet in this genre.

Is a philosopher and director of research at the French National Centre for Scientific Research in a

Is a philosopher and director of research at the French National Centre for Scientific Research in an Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris laboratory, the CEVIPOF. He is also a member of the Cercle de l'Oratoire think tank.[1]